Methodology
Our goal is to make wage and take-home estimates easy to understand while staying true to common payroll practices. Calculators are shipping soon; this page outlines how they will work and what they deliberately exclude.
Tax year used
Tax year: 2025
- Default filing status: single
- Tax credits including child tax credit and earned income credit
- Itemized deductions and above-the-line adjustments beyond the standard deduction
- Local or municipal income taxes and surcharges
Core approach
- Use published IRS and state withholding tables for the selected tax year.
- Map gross wages to pay periods (hourly, weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly, annually) with clear conversions.
- Apply standard withholding assumptions first, then allow opt-in adjustments for common scenarios.
What is excluded initially
- Tax credits (child tax credit, earned income credit) and itemized deductions.
- Local or municipal taxes, surcharges, and wage garnishments.
- Pre-tax benefits (401(k), HSA/FSA), employer-paid benefits, and post-tax deductions.
- Multi-state work or reciprocity scenarios beyond a single chosen state.
Keeping calculations current
Withholding tables and brackets change annually. We maintain configuration-driven data for each tax year so updates can be applied quickly without rewriting logic. Changes will be documented in release notes alongside the effective dates.
When calculators launch, each page will show the tax year in use and provide a quick way to switch once new tables are available.
How to interpret outputs
Treat the outputs as directional estimates. Compare them against your actual pay statements and adjust your own withholding elections accordingly. If something looks off, reach out so we can review the assumptions.